Marin Joy Mazzie (October 9, 1960 – September 13, 2018) was an American actress and singer known for her work in musical theatre. Mazzie was a three-time Tony Award nominee, for her performances as Clara in Passion (1994), Mother in Ragtime (1998), and Lilli Vanessi/Katherine in Kiss Me, Kate (1999). For her work in Kiss Me, Kate, Mazzie was also nominated for a Drama Desk Award and Olivier Award, and she won an Outer Critics Circle Award. In addition to appearing in many musical stage productions, Mazzie also performed in concert with her husband, Jason Danieley. Early life Mazzie was born in Rockford, Illinois, and graduated from Western Michigan University, where she received degrees in theater and music. With an early interest in the theatre, Mazzie began to perform and sing in church choir at the age of 8 and to study voice at the age of 12. She continued to act in school and at college and in summer stock, where she was an apprentice at the Barn Theatre in Augusta, Michigan. While performing at the Barn, Mazzie befriended composer Jonathan Larson, who would go on to write Rent. Career After graduating from college in 1982, Mazzie moved to New York City and made her New York stage debut in a 1983 Equity Library Theatre revival of the 1948 musical Where's Charley? as Kitty Verdun. She appeared in the 1991 off-Broadway Kander and Ebb revue And the World Goes 'Round and the subsequent 10-month national tour the following year. She went on to play starring roles in over a half dozen Broadway shows and also developed a cabaret act and made appearances in television. In 1994 Mazzie created the role of Clara in the Stephen Sondheim musical Passion. This production was notable for its opening scene in which she was nude in bed with co-star Jere Shea. In 1998 Mazzie originated the role of Mother in the original production of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty's musical Ragtime. She played the dual roles of Lilli Vanessi/Katharine in the 1999 revival of Kiss Me, Kate on Broadway and then transferred to the West End production in 2001. All three roles earned her Tony Award nominations. About the 2006 Encores! presentation of Kismet at New York City Center, the Variety reviewer wrote: "Mazzie steals the comic thunder with a delicious turn as the glamorous Slut of the Casbah (Lalume), lewdly checking out